Biwat, Flute mask

Description

Biwat
Flute mask

Yuat River, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, 20th century
carved wood with encrustation, shell, feathers, bone
47 h x 11 w x 9 d in (119 x 28 x 23 cm)

Attached to sacred bamboo flutes used in men's initiation ceremonies, Biwat flute masks represent ancestral or supernatural beings associated with ritual performance. Decorated with shell, pigment, and fiber, they transformed the sound-producing instrument into a powerful ceremonial object believed to embody the voices of ancestral spirits.

This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.

Condition

This example with small losses to applied material and wear and loss to feathers. Mask is not connected the the accompanying bamboo pole and will need to be secured prior to display. Feathers and applied material are delicate and should be handled carefully.

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Biwat, Flute mask

Lot 0156

Estimate $300-$500Aug 11, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

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